Controls for signal circuits



May 21, 1957 J. c. MOCK CONTROLS FOR SIGNAL CIRCUITS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1955 INVENTOR.

JAME S C. MOGK BYZ ATTORNEYS 1, 1957 J. c. MOCK CONTROLS FOR SIGNAL CIRCUITS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1955 NQE INVENTOR.

- JAMES C.MOCK

ATTORNEYS May 21, 1957 J. c. MocK 2,793,272

CONTROLS FOR SIGNAL CIRCUITS Filed April 29, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 5 CO l0 INVENTOR.

JAMES c. MOCK:

WWL

ATTORNEYS United States Patent The present invention relates to control of circuits and more particularly to the circuit making and breaking 2,793,272 Patented May 21, 1957 or blocks of insulating material contacting the spring members 11.

The actuating means for bar 10 is, as stated above, housed in the casing part B and consists of an elongated cam member which is rectangular in section, and slidable longitudinally in its casing B which acts as a guide.

This cam member 20 consists of two parts arranged end to end and each is provided at one end with a portion 21 fitting in the housing. With the two parts properly assembled, these portions 21 serve to maintain the cam member laterally. Its vertical position is maintained by coaction of its upper and lower flat surfaces and the top and bottom walls of the housing.

As indicated best in Fig. 1, the two parts of the member 20 are axially bored and tapped to receive a threaded shaft 25, the parts and the shaft being threaded righ means actuated by the railway switch points in moving from normal to reverse position and vice versa.

In installations of this kind the switch points are moved through a distance of several inches (the standard is 4%"), but it is required that the circuits connected to the switch points be actuated by the movement of the switch points during the first and last quarter inch or less of the stroke, so that if for any reason the switch points fail to complete their full movements, the circuits will not only not function as intended, but will also be prevented from giving an unsafe indication.

It is therefore necessary that the circuit make and break be kept adjusted within the tolerances at all times, and this includes the relation of the switch points to the circuit make and break mechanism.

Among the objects of the invention therefore is to provide a device that meets the above requirements and which has adjusting means that is accessible from the outside of the housing enclosing the working parts of the circuit operating means.

Still another object is to provide a single adjusting means for both the above mentioned relationships.

In addition to those already mentioned, the objects of the present invention include the provision of means to provide a straight line movement of the switch actuating elements, and means whereby adjustments may be quickly and easily made in the field.

Other objects and advantages will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of circuit make and break with the cover plates removed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view of housing portion B.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the connection between the signal switch operating means and the railway switch.

In the drawings, in Fig. 1 is shown a two part housing in which the part A constitutes a housing for the signal control switches and the part B a housing for the switch actuator. The part A is also divided centrally of its length and duplicate switches housed therein, only one set being shown. Both sets of switches are actuated by a single transversely reciprocable bar member 10. The switches consist of spring members 11 and stationary contacts 12 mounted on either side of the members 11.

These switches are conventional and their operation through the use of a slidable bar is also conventional so no further detailed description is thought necessary.

The present invention is concerned chiefly with the means by which the movable railway switch points transmit their movement to the bar 10. The bar, indicated as a whole by the numeral 10, carries a suitable block and left, so that rotation of the shaft 25 will change the overall length of the member 20.

Referring to the cam member 20 as a whole, it is provided on its two side walls with oppositely arranged cam surfaces 20A, 20B,'20C and 20D, surfaces 20A and 20B being on one side wall and 20C and 20D being on the opposite side wall. Cam surfaces 20A and 20C are adjacent one end of the member 20 and 20B and 20D adjacent the other end, the spacing between 20A and 20B being equal to that between 200 and 20D and also when in proper adjustment, equal to the distance of travel of the switch points less the longitudinal length of the cams.

Coacting with the cams on the member 20 is a block or yoke 30 shown in Fig. 3, as consisting of two vertically arranged portions 30A and 30B integrally connected by a portion 300, there being suitable means by which the yoke is connected to the bar 10. Any suitable means may be used, but that shown consists of a cylindrical member 31 carried by the bar 10 and slidable in a suitable cylindrical slot in the yoke portion 30B.

The yoke 30 is mounted for reciprocation in suitable guide portions 32 in the casing portion B, the movement being normal to the movement of member 20, and is provided with cam faces corresponding to and coacting with the pairs of cam faces 20B-20D and 20A20C.

As shown in Fig. 1, the housing portion B is sufiiciently long to provide for the required movement of the cam member 20 and the shaft 25 extends through a suitable packing or gland 40 at one end of the housing with its projecting end threaded as shown in Fig. 2. Upon the threaded end is carried an eye member 41 to which is secured the link 42 connected to the switch points (not shown).

The relative position of the link 42 and the shaft 25 and thereby the cam member 20 is determined and fixed by means of the nuts and locknuts 43 and 44 respectively, while the relative position of the two pairs of cams carried by the member 20 may be adjusted by rotation of shaft 25.

In Fig. 5, the eye member 141, which corresponds to member 41 in Fig. 2, is shown as being provided with a ball 50 cooperating with a suitable socket in the member 51 suitably secured to the link 52 which is connected to the switch point 53.

In the connection of the link 52 to the switch point, the outer end of the link is bent upwardly at a right angle and provided with a shoulder 54 enough below the upper end to provide a long bearing portion 55 and a threaded end for a nut 56. Mounted for rotary movement on the portion 55 is the bearing sleeve 57 of an angularly ar ranged arm 58 which extends to the upper part of the switch point 53 and is connected thereto by a pin 59 which extends horizontally through suitable eyes (not shown) carried by the switch point and is rotatable therein. These two rotatable bearings, one vertical and the other 3' horizontal eliminate entirely any bending stresses which would otherwise occur in switch operation.

In Fig. 5 the rail '60 is shown as mounted upon a tie 61 .with the link 52 extending alongside the tie and under the rail. The switch point 53' is of'course connected to and moves with a corresponding switch point at the other rail.

Among the many advantages of the present construction are that field adjustments are. relatively easy. For example, the relative position of the mechanism to the switch points or the relative position of the two cam surfaces 20A and 20B or. 20C and 20D may be adjusted by the proper manipulation of the nuts 43, and 44 and shaft 25, all outside of the housing and easily accessible. Further, the low height of the assembly permits installation between rails if desired.

Another advantage of the. present construction is that by the use'of separate housings for the electricaland mechanical elements, the problem of. waterproofing is greatly simplified. Still: another advantage is that by the use of fewer parts and larger wearing surfaces, adjustment for wear is greatly reduced.

1 claim:

In electric circuit control. means for. railway switch signals, a link attached to a switch point and secured at its other end to a lug provided with an eye or sleeve, a threaded shaft passing through said eye and carrying nuts for fixing the position of said eye upon said shaft, a casing into which said shaft extends, the portion of the shaft within the casing being provided with right and 'left threads, a divided elongated cam block, having its portions correspondingly threaded on said shaft Within the casing, said block having cam surfaces, adjacent its ends, a yoke within said casing and embracing said block and provided with cam surfaces adapted to enact with those on the block to produce reciprocationofthe yoke upon operation of the railway switch and means connected to said yoke. for making andlbreaking said circuits.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mock Apr. 19 

